The Next Chapter - Recovery from the War
by thejasminedragonteashop
Summary: This is basically my imagination thinking up what might've happened next after the final episode of Book 3, when the war is resolved. I hope you like it! It's my first fanfiction, so yeah. peace out my fellow avatar fans 3
1. Chapter 1

Aang POV

"Aang, I love you," she quietly mumbled into my ear after we kissed each other softly on the lips. Her deep, blue eyes looked straight into mine as I smiled at her.  
"I love you too," I whispered, kissing her forehead, then walking back inside The Jasmine Dragon to resume spending time with my loved ones. Katara still lingered back on the balcony, looking up at the sky.  
"HEY, MOMO!" I heard Sokka shout loudly, echoing throughtout the room. "YOU RUINED MY PAINTING!"  
Momo looked up at him with his innocent looking eyes, not sure what he had done wrong, then scampered off into the corner. Suki giggled softly whilst covering her mouth.  
"I'm pretty sure he didn't mean to, Sokka," she said after feeling sympathetic toward Momo.

I honestly didn't care about what was going on, I felt so calm and relaxed about the thought of what just happened, it was almost overwhelming. I sat down on one of the comfortable chairs as Iroh set down some tea infront of me. I looked up at him smiling, saying thank you, without needing to say anything. He returned the smile and sat down on the chair next to me.  
"So Aang," he started to speak, I looked up at him, showing that I was listening, "what's going to happen now?"  
"What do you mean?" I chuckled, "We ended the war, you've got your teashop back, and pretty much everything else is falling into place! I suppose now we just live."  
"Fair enough," he said. I could still hear many things going on around me but I chose to ignore them as I looked up at Katara, who turned around, still blushing. I quickly looked down at my tea again. Even though I loved her eyes so much, I chose to avoid contact.

"Zuko, can I talk to you in private?" said Mai quietly to him. Although they were on the other side of the room, I could still hear her voice.  
"Of course, Mai," he replied calmly, walking behind her into the back room. They closed the door behind them, wishing to not be disturbed.

Zuko POV

"What would you like to speak about?" I asked curiously, completely clueless as to what she brought me in for.  
"I heard you talked to your father the night before we left to visit your uncle, what for?" she replied, sitting down on the stool by the counter.  
"It's a long story," I said, "I don't feel like talking about it now."  
It's true, I didn't. I could tell Mai didn't like the way I was talking and started to get suspicious. I stayed quiet though.  
"Zuko, please," Mai said, starting to get uneasy about this conversation. I could tell she didn't want to bring up a fight, but she wasn't going to stop until she found out.  
"I asked about my mother," I replied softly, "I thought he might know where she is. I just needed to know."  
"And what happened?" she said. She turned to face the wall on her right and crossed her arms. I wasn't trying to hide anything from her, I just really didn't want to think about it.  
"After half an hour of him not saying anything, he said that he heard a year ago that she was in the Earth Kingdom on a remote island, trying to start a new life," I said, still avoiding to say that bad part.  
"But how did he know if she was trying to hide her real identity?" she asked, looking up at me with her confused eyes.  
"She was caught not long after she finally found a place she liked, I don't know how, but word spread quickly about her after she was thrown off the island on only a small wooden boat," I said, trying to hold back any sign of me being upset "Now no one really knows, I suppose."  
"That's terrible, Zuko," she frowned, and then hugged me to try and make me feel better, which it did.  
"It's fine, Mai," I smiled after taking her arms off me and putting them around my waist, and then caressed her cheek and kissed her lightly.

We walked outside to face the other members of our "gang". We came across a very loud and unsettling atmosphere.  
"YOU KISSED?" Sokka shouted, being held back by Suki as Aang was being protected by Uncle Iroh.  
"Please son, calm down!" Uncle Iroh said, raising his voice slightly, "I'm sure Aang didn't do it just because he felt like it!"  
"What's going on?" I meddled in with their conversation. I noticed Katara sobbing frantically in the corner with Momo on her shoulder.  
"Please Sokka, let me explain," Aang said, with slight hesitation in his voice, "I love Katara, we love each other! I'm sorry, this must be so hard for you, but please, Sokka, calm down!"  
"Aang kissed my sister, that's what's going on!" he yelled, almost breaking down. Mai held my arm and pulled me to the nearest table to sit down, she obviously didn't want to be involved. Her dark fringe covered her hair as she drank some tea. I was still interested to see what was going on, but she didn't want me to. I could understand why.

A couple minutes earlier...

Sokka POV

"Hey, Sokka," Aang walked up to me, winking and giving me a big smile.  
"Hey Aang," I replied, still paying most attention to my new painting. Obviously my last capture of the moment was ruined by Momo, so I had to start all over again. Poor me, always having to do the work. I put most of the detail into Aangs robes and Suki's fan, I could tell this was going to be a masterpiece. My tongue was half hanging out my mouth and I squinted.  
"So Sokka.." he said awkwardly, whilst scratching his neck and looked away from me. I looked up at him with confusion. I scratched my chin, examining his movement. He was hiding something.  
"What's going on.." I said, with my eyebrows furrowed. I put my painting brush aside. He just smiled with his noticably big teeth.  
"Well, the truth is Sokka, before you do anything," he stammered, "I need you to know that I really, really love her."  
"Do you love Suki?" I asked with confusion, scratching my forehead. He responded with waving his hands and he started to break a sweat.  
"No! NO!" he replied, trying to stop any confusion. "The truth is.. I kissed Katara."  
I stayed silent for a few moments, trying to let the information sink in. Rage started building up inside me. How could he kiss my sister? One of my best friends, kissing my sister? What is wrong with him? How could he do this? To Katara? My SISTER? My nostrils started flaring and I leaned my elbows on the table with my hands holding my head, still so confused.  
"Please Sokka, I-I really love Katara," he said. Now he LOVES HER? How could he? I started to tear up. My LITTLE sister.

Katara POV

I heard Sokka's screaming after I told Aang to talk to him, and I stood up as soon as I saw him standing up, it looked as though he was about to hit Aang, which I knew he would never do, but you never know. Suki held him back and tried to calm him down whilst Iroh stood before Aang as soon as he stood up. I loved Aang, and I didn't want Sokka to make this hard for us, even though I knew how hard it must be. I started to cry a bit, trying to say something but being choked up by my tears was so very annoying. I sat in the corner as Momo sat on my shoulder and said something that I obviously couldn't understand.  
"It's okay, Momo," I said, and it was the only words I could say in between my neverending hysterics. I started crying again, burrying my eyes into my hands. At that moment I saw Zuko and Mai walk in.  
"YOU KISSED?" were the words Sokka said, that were the words that really stood out. The words that made me sure that he was so angry because we love each other. I really love him, I don't know what to do. After a few more words were said, Sokka just stormed out onto the balcony, and I calmed down a bit after Suki was there to comfort me a bit.  
"I think I should talk to Sokka," I said, wiping my eyes to get rid of any remaining tears.  
"Whatever you think is best," Suki replied, and smiled at me, at patted my back. I stood up and walked outside, seeing him leaning against the edge of the balcony.  
"Sokka.." I said a few feet behind him, "Please, calm down, I know this is hard for you, but you need to understand, I really do love Aang."  
"It really is hard for me Katara. Aang is meant to be like, my best friend, and he really let me down," he sighed. I walked up to him and pushed his shoulder back so he was facing me, and hugged him.  
"I really don't want to change anything between you, but I can't imagine Aang hurting me, if that's what you're worried about," I said. He felt slightly calmer, like he was just feeling protective of me, and wasn't sure if Aang would hurt me. After all, Aang was the person who I had my first ever kiss with. Of course I did have a slight crush on Jet the first time I met him, so he wasn't my first crush. Aang was more than just a crush though. I understand what Sokka means though, Jet really hurt me.

It's the same as Zuko, I started to feel sympathetic toward him in Ba Sing Se, and I felt like I really started to care about him, and I could relate to him. Yet again, he betrayed me, and went off with Azula. Now he's good again, just like Jet was, but it took a lot for me to start to trust him again.  
"You know what Katara," he started to speak, "I'll be okay, with all this I mean."  
I smiled so much, and hugged him even tighter than before, a single glistening teardrop fell down my cheek as I felt so thankful.  
"Thank you, Sokka," I said, and walked back inside whilst holding his hand, so I knew he was following me, and I sat down with the rest of the gang, and we carried on normally. I really hoped this would be okay now.

**End of Chapter 1  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Katara POV

I woke up in the middle of the night with Suki beside me, on the bed next to me. I wandered outside of the room and closed the door behind me quietly, not wanting to get caught, then tip toed to the balcony. It was a long trip back to the Fire Kingdom from Ba Sing Se. Today we were going to figure out where everyone was going as not everyone will be needed in the same place.

I sighed, the cool wind refreshed my skin and my hair was pushed to the side. I didn't want us to split up, everything was just so perfect as it is, but Aang is now needed here with Zuko. I need to visit the South Pole with Sokka, and Toph somehow has to get in contact with her parents. We no longer had Iroh as he was in Ba Sing Se.

Just at that moment, Momo swooped in from behind me and sat on my shoulder.  
"Hi, Momo," I said quietly whilst smiling and stroking his head. As I was turning to look at Momo I saw Aang there, standing silently. His sudden appearence scared me and I jumped back, causing Momo to fly away, back into the house.  
"Uh.. hey," I decided to say as he started to walk closer to me, "what is it you want to talk about?"  
"About what's going to happen," he said, I was slightly confused "to us, I thought it would be best if we talked in private about this?"  
"Okay, fair enough, what's on your mind?" I whispered. My hair started to get out of control so I had to pat it down, Aang giggled.  
"You want to go to your home, the south pole, don't you?" he replied, I nodded yes and he started to talk more. "Well, I'm needed here, but how are you going to get to the south pole? Appa is in scars and he still needs to be healed, and you've tried, so has Suki, but I'm getting worried that this will limit our ways and make us go on longer journeys than we need to."

I processed this for a bit, I completely forgot about Appa. He's in no shape to travel under the conditions, but I was almost sure Zuko, since he is the Firelord, could do something. "What about Zuko. he is the Firelord, surely he could pull something together for us to travel on, or you, since you are the avatar."  
He started to smile when I giggled, and he nodded and walked back inside. I could tell he was tired. I walked back to bed and fell asleep almost immedietely.

The next morning, I was woken up by Suki who apparently had some unbelievable news to tell me. "What Suki?" I said quietly, but I was held back because my throat was unclear.  
"Sokka got me a pet!" she squeeled unforgivably and skipped right out of the room to be faced with exactly Sokka.  
"Hey Suki!" he exclaimed loudly in the hallway, she invited him in, which I will never forgive her for, and they both sat down on her bed.  
"What pet is it?" I asked, taking slight interest in it.  
"It's a mini cat-dragon!" she said, "It's a small cat that can breathe fire to hurt the enemy, so she'd be a great addition to the Kyoshi Warriers!"  
"Since we're in the Fire Nation, I thought, why not!" he smiled whilst closing his eyes. "Oh and Zuko wants to talk to you, Katara, so, uh, yeah, go ahead."

I walked outside with my clothes, since I obviously couldn't get changed in there, and walked into a bathroom to do my hair and clothes. It took only ten minutes, and I looked like I looked any other day. I walked back into my room to put away my pyjamas, but then I got dramatically traumatised. I walked in on them 'making out'. They had only just noticed me and Sokka jumped up from the bed and forced a short laugh, and just walked out of the room in shame. Suki was just as embarassed.  
"So.." she started to say as I walked over to my bed to fold my clothes. I didn't really want to start a conversation, it was just going to be awkward right after seeing that. "Have you seen Zuko yet?"  
"No, but I will after I've done this," I said spitefully. Now I just felt bad because of how badly I made that sound. I could tell she felt a bit insulted. I turned around and put my hands on her shoulders. "Sorry Suki."  
"It's okay, it's just hard for me, you know? I'm so far away from home and I'm not going to lie, I miss it, and I just wish that I could go home right now, with Sokka, not that I don't like the rest of you," she said. I was quite shocked, I would've never expected Suki to find anything hard, she was just so strong. I hugged her tightly and smiled, she smiled back and I walked out of the room to find Zuko.

"Zuko!" I said loudly as he was right outside of my door, he smiled and pointed in the direction of the dining room, I nodded to accept his invitation and we walked straight through. No one was in there yet, but it was absolutely beautiful. The ornate cravings on the ceiling looked like stories of the Fire Nation, with flames on the ceiling, but it was still so beautiful. The dining table was made out of oak and had metal decorations on the side with matching chairs. The walls had a white and grey wallpaper covering everything but the huge, black and red door. I was astounded.  
"Amazing, isn't it?" he said with a smile, "I can remember when me and my mum were eating breakfast right here."  
He pointed to two chairs on the edge of the table. I could tell he was getting at something. "What is it you wanted to talk with me about?"  
"I know you had a very rough time when we looked for the person who murdered your mother," he started to explain. What has my mother got to do with anything? "I just really think it would be best, if you'd help me find my mother. I have an idea of where she could be, but I dont want to do it alone, and I think you would be the best to help."  
I started to think for a bit. I really wanted to go back home for a while and see Gran Gran, but this was slightly more important. I was battling out in my head for a few moments until I decided. "I would love to help you find your mother."

I walked outside of the room and started to try and find Aang to tell him, but I couldn't see him anywhere, I wandered in and out of rooms, and I saw Mai, Ty Lee, Suki, but not Aang. No one knew where he was, and I also realised Sokka wasn't here either. I walked downstairs to find him sulking on the floor with a letter on his side, Aang was standing there quietly, not knowing what to do. "What happened?" I was worried, very worried.  
"I think you should sit down, Katara," Aang whispered, so I did. I was really starting to get worried now. "Your grandmother, sh-she's.. very.. ill."  
I gasped loudly and tears started streaming down my cheeks and onto the floor. How could she be ill? Then a thought came into my head and I stood up.  
"We can try the spirit water! It reassurected Aang! Surely it could help Gran Gran!" I exclaimed.  
"That's what this letter is about, one of us needs to go all the way to the North Pole and back down to the South Pole so you can save you Grandmother," he replied. That trip could take weeks, months, my whole world started falling apart, just as things got better.  
"I'd go," Sokka said in between his quiet sobs, " but I promised Suki we could go to Kyoshi Island for a few weeks. I don't want to break that promise, even if she did understand."  
I started to cry more, and I knew that Sokka really loved Suki, and would do anything to make her happier. I didn't know what to do. "Aang, I came down to talk to you because I just said that I'd help Zuko find his mother."  
Sokka started getting hysterical, and I didn't know what to do, I felt so bad. I love Gran Gran, and she's so important to me, but who's to say that even if she was healed, she would live for years longer? She's already old, and there's a small chance we'd even get there in time. We had nothing to do. We're trapped in an isolated box.

Zuko's POV

I sat down on one of the dining chairs and flashbacks started pouring in my head, but I didn't want to think of them now. I knew I had to find my mother, I was relying on Katara, and hopefully nothing will come up that will break her promise. Mai walked into the room and I stood up to show respect. She hugged me and sat down next to me, holding my hands.  
"Zuko, you're now Firelord," she said emotionlessly, and then sighed when I nodded.  
"What's wrong?" I said, slightly confused. Isn't that what everyone wanted? I suppose it's Mai, she doesn't approve of a lot of things.  
"I just want to spend time with you like before, before you left me, when we just sat down and talked, it's so easy to talk to you Zuko, but now I know that time has gone," Mai frowned, and my grip of her hands tightened. She couldn't even look at me.  
"I'll make time for you, I swear," I promised to her, a promise I knew she would never forget. She smiled. "but I'm going to go out, and me and Katara are going to find my mother."  
"What?" she shouted, and stood up in rage, "What about me? Were you even going to let me come?"  
"I thought you would lose interest, I didn't think you'd even wanted to come! Please!" I started to raise my voice.  
"You didn't think I wanted to spend time with you? Typical Zuko," she said, hiding away behind her fringe.  
"I'm sorry, really, you can come, but I don't want everyone ending up to help me find my mother, but you're the only exception," I smiled, hoping she would take my invitation. She smiled, and sat down next to me.  
"I forgive you," she said. I could tell she was just messing with me but I took it as a joke and chuckled. We carried on talking into the day and until the meeting was at hand.

We all walked into the meeting. There was Sokka, Suki, Aang, Katara, Ty Lee, Momo, Toph, and me and Mai. I sat down on the Firelords throne as Sokka started to begin to talk.  
"Obviously, we need to make a plan to decide where everyone is going, including every single on of you. Appa is down, so he can not be of services, but Zuko has kindly offered we use some of his Fire Nation equipment to get to our needed destination," Sokka said aloud, my eyes widened with surprise as I had never offered anything of the sort! I decided to let it go, just this once, but there better not be anymore surprises. "I, with Suki, need to go to Kyoshi Island for a few days to -"  
"For a few days? I though you said for two weeks?" Suki said, awfully bewildered and slightly upset.  
"Suki, I will get on to that. The thing is, is that me and Katara's Gran Gran is ill, and Katara promised to make other plans, so I need to get the spirit water to bring to Gran Gran," he said, starting to sob. I looked at Katara, her eyes started to water and her face started to go red. I felt so bad, Katara kept her promise even though her Grandmother is ill. "Please Suki, I hope you understand."  
"Of course I do Sokka," she smiled and comforted him, "I was just a bit confused, that's all."  
"Thank you, Suki," said Katara, smiling thankfully, Suki nodded in a your welcome way.  
"We need to go to the North Pole, to get the spirit water, and back down to the South Pole, to deliver the spirit water, and then we will go back to Kyoshi Island to rest for a few weeks. Katara, it's your turn to share your plans."

She stood up and then started to explain everything she knew, which wasn't everything, so I had to explain the routes and different ways of approach. My claim was entirely based off local gossip and rumours, so it was not complete solid information.  
"I have heard that my mother is somewhere in the Earth Kingdom, near a very remote village, called Omerho, located here," I said pointing to a map. "Katara, me, and Mai will be going to find my mother, and anyone else is welcome to take my place here to take care of the Fire Nation when I'm gone."  
"I WILL!" Toph screamed after playing with a few rocks because of utter boredom. I knew it was a bad idea since she would probably mess it up, no offence to Toph.  
"I'll think about it," I lied, "Anyone else?"  
"I can tell your lying, Zuko," she said, "I have nothing else to do, and there will still be a few other people around, right?"  
"I don't mind staying here," smiled Ty Lee. Oh god, even worse! I suppose if they're both here it won't matter, but I know Toph and Ty Lee will clash somehow.  
"Toph, you can take care of the Fire Nation with Ty Lee, does that sound okay?" I said, and Toph seemed reluctant, but she broke soon enough. "Aang, I think it's your turn to say what's happening with you."  
"Me and Momo are going to heal Appa, somehow, maybe if we go with Sokka we can get some of that water as well?" he said with a huge grin.  
"Sokka?" I said, trying to get his approval.  
"Are you kidding? Of course he can come!" Sokka exclaimed, "Welcome in, buddy!"

I face-palmed myself and Sokka, some of the things he said just made me cringe so badly. "I think that's everyone?" Katara said, still recovering from the news of her grandmother. I still felt sympathetic. Everyone nodded and stood up. They walked out of the room in an orderly fashion, with me following closely behind them all. We all went our separate ways as we wanted to do different things to try and get things ready.


End file.
